Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-01-27
THE FsRRIs REFORM sonooD.
official Report OF I,s Condition ana
Resources.

Official Report OF Iis Condition ana
Resources.
Subjoined ia the official report OF Ptesi.
dent Harlan on the condition and re-
sources Of the Ferris Reform school:
january 18th, 1887.
10 he Cttfzens Of Delatodre: On the ODD
of September, 1881, John Ferris, citizen
OF Wilmington, died In his will he made
DR.. Caleb Harlan his executor. After a
number OF bequests were paid, the residue
of his estate was to be applied to tho found
ing of "a House of Refuge, or place for
bettering Maynard juyeniles--this In pre-
ference TO any other purpose" In pur-
suance to this bequest, DR.. Harlan, In
March, 1885, purchased the woodside farm
Of 19l acres, situated In very suitable and
healthy location, 81 miles from Wilmington.
AT the lest session OF the Legislature
charter was granted for "the Ferris Reform
School," From the incorporators board
Of IS managers were elected, president and
secretary chosen, bylaws and rules for
government framed and adopted, a super
lntendent employed and the school opened.
The officers and managers for the ensuing
year are as follows: DR.. Caleb Harlan,
President, Hon. Lenord e. Wales, j. TAYLOR
Cause, Henry @. Robinson, DR.. Lewis
p. Bush, George @. Lobdell, Joseph L,
Carpenter. Jr., Alfred aawthrop, job
H. Jackson, II. Lewis Armstrong,
George 8. Chpeile, Lewis Thomp'
son, Stansbury ]. Wiley, Alfred d. Warner,
Thomas Bird, Wilmer Palmer, George W.
Stone and O. Wesley Weldin.
Az the organisation II the in-
sti ution In April, 1885, tho
value a the bequest was
estimated 70 be.,.........., S1Y S23 90
The eceipts to January Isl,
1887, hAye been as follows:
From rents, int reat and farm
ptOdu 10. ........ .H H6 ',O3
From memDerghip .......... 28S 70
From amount dep sited to o
former RET rn school by II.
y. Askew, treasurer ....... 5118i 5I3g.84
Total to date. -: ..,....... ssLsSAsi
From which deduct ex-
lenses as follows;
Farm, school and general e&-
pensss.. .....,.............. 4,sb9.S8
Interest on farm mortgage. :. 10000
Real estate expenses. ........ 4,50i.66
Permanent lmpr JvementB,
Moodslde Farm school
building ...................,g ,4si.R5 ""
Farm ana hool outnt...... isi7S5
Cash aid ON WoodHde Farm o 500 10
Cash balance. ................ 2,g77.a0 soss7S4
Leaving value Of permanent
Investments ............... s57,ssS 90
from which to derive future revenue.
The estimated income for 1887 from rents
and Interest on permanent Investments OF
the corporation is $500, leaving balance
of about %, 800 to be provided for by yolun-
tary contributions and by donations from
the levy court. This amount is based on
the present number of inmates, and as the
number will probably be considerably In
creased during the year, a larger amount
will be needed to provide for them, thus
showing the absolute necessity for liberal
contributions from our citizens and the
levy court In order that the school may be
sustained.
At present there are only Is persons who
contribute % per annum, and two persons
who will contribute IS per year for five
years, making the total amount to be de-
rived from the annual contributors but SAC.
There are five life members who have con-
tributed $40 each.
The present superintendent OF the school
Is Mr., Newton Chandler, who was elected
May 18th, 1886. His administration has been
very satisfactory.
The number Of boys admitted to the
school from january LIST, 1886. to January
LIST, 1887, was IL, Of which number one was
years old, two were IL, five were IL, one
was IA, three we're 10, one was 16 and one
was IS. The offences for which they were
committed were: Theft, three; burglary,
one; vagrancy, four; incorrigibillty six
four were committed by the county courts,
nine by magistrates and one by the munici-
pal court. In nationality II were Americans,
white Sand colored eight, and three were
Irish When received into the school, five did
not know the alphabet, two knew 1t, but
could not read, and the rest could read
with greater or less facility; nine could not
write and Ave could write a little eight
knew nothing OF arithmetic and SIX had
progressed slightly; Is were entirely
Ignorant OF geography and one had made
some advance. All are now reading with
more or less facility; four can write letters
to friends and the others have made good
progress; all have progressed in arithmetic
and five are studying geography.
The report Of the school committee
strongly confirms the above report Of the
superintendent as regards the progress Of
the boys In learning, and lays down excel
lent suggestions as to the management Of
the boys. The discipline Is mild and kind
but firm, and the progress OF the boys In
industry and obedience has fully answered
the expectations of the managers. 1t is the
aim of the institution to cultivate the In
tellectual and moral faculties, to establish
habits of industry and usefulness, of self
government and self-respect. and thus re-
turn those that have been inmates to society
as valuable meDhers. prepared to advance
the best lnteree u IF the community. These
means also Tend to arrest, to a certain
degree, the how into our almshouses and
Iails, which are but poor reformefs, and
rather scrge to perpetuste their kind.
The purposes OF the school above set
forth, must commend II TO every right
thinking mind and should lead to liberal
contributions and requests, especially from
the citizens OF this county. BY order OF
the Board OF Managers.